Healthcare Innovation in India: The Rise of Global Capability Centers

Global Capability Centers (GCC) are strategic offshore units set by multinational corporations to perform various strategic functions by leveraging a vast talent pool, cost-efficient infrastructure, and catalyzing growth with cutting-edge technology.

Texas Instruments was the first company to set up its Global Capability Center in India in 1985. Since then, India has established itself as an innovation hub for Global Capability Centers (GCC) in major sectors, and the healthcare sector is no different. India has uniquely positioned itself to lead healthcare innovation with a vivid talent ecosystem and integration of advanced technology to enhance various functions including drug discovery, clinical trials, patient matching, and clinical trial management.

The combination of world-class talent, cost efficiency, advanced infrastructure, and supportive government policies has made India a prime destination for healthcare GCCs.

This blog explores the various aspects of healthcare and life sciences GCCs in India, highlighting their contributions to innovation, R&D, clinical trials, and key business functions.

Innovation through Advanced Technology

The healthcare and life science industry relies heavily on digital technologies to drive research, development, and commercialization. GCCs in India are leading from the front by implementing advanced digital solutions, including data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). These technologies accelerate drug discovery, streamline clinical trials, and optimize supply chain management, positioning India as a leader in healthcare innovation.

Commanding R&D Efforts for Drug Development

The GCCs play a crucial role in the drug development lifecycle for the parent organization. These centers collaborate on drug discovery projects, providing computational chemistry and bioinformatics support. High-performing computational resources enable rapid research and development (R&D) processes, providing medicinal chemistry, protein engineering, and bioprocessing breakthroughs.

India offers a cost-effective environment for research and development. This allows companies to stretch their R&D budget, injecting more money into R&D processes. Another India Advantage is government regulations. Better regulations and faster approval processes allow companies to conduct clinical trials more easily and bring new drugs to the market.

Key Statistics:

• Over 15% of all GCC employees in India work in the healthcare and life sciences sector.
• Approximately 55% of these GCCs are headquartered in the United States.
• 85% of Healthcare & Life Science GCCs are established in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
• 20% of healthcare GCCs have their centers in 3 or more cities.
• As of 2023, 80+ healthcare & life science GCCs employ over 250k employees in India.

Driving the Clinical Trial Process

Clinical trials are a critical component of drug development, and Indian healthcare GCCs contribute significantly to this process. These centers manage various aspects of clinical trials, including data management, patient recruitment, regulatory compliance, and more. The potential to leverage advanced technology and analytics enhances the efficiency, accuracy, and success rate of clinical trials.

India’s large and diverse population is another contributing factor to GCCs success, as they provide an extensive patient pool for clinical trials. This allows companies to test the potency of drugs across different genetic backgrounds and demographic groups.

Major functions of GCCs in Clinical Trials

• Data Management
• Patient Recruitment
• Regulatory Compliance
• Biostatics & Programming
• Clinical Data Science
• Enhancing Supply Chain Management

The COVID-19 pandemic marked the importance of a resilient supply chain in the healthcare sector. GCCs in India are enhancing supply chain management by optimizing inventory, accurately forecasting demand, and ensuring consistent drug availability. Advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions enable these centers to navigate through complex supply chain challenges effectively.

Global Capability Centers: Driving Technology & Digital Transformation

Healthcare and life sciences GCCs in India are leading the adoption of next-generation technologies. From big data and analytics to AI and cloud computing, these centers are driving digital transformation across the sector. The integration of these technologies enhances various functions, including drug discovery, clinical trials, patient matching, and clinical trial management.

Key Technologies in Use:

• Big Data & Analytics: Accelerate drug discovery and increase the efficacy of clinical trials.
• RPA/Automation: Streamline clinical trial management and patient matching.
• Cloud Computing: Enhance scalable clinical trials management.

State of Healthcare & Life Sciences GCCs in India

India’s healthcare and life sciences GCCs are characterized by their wide-ranging capabilities and significant contributions to the sector. These centers drive core business functions, including finance and accounting, human resources, supply chain management, and marketing. They also support critical healthcare functions, such as drug discovery, clinical research, data review, and post-market monitoring.

Conclusion

India’s healthcare and life sciences GCCs are leading the frontline in innovation, advancing drug development, clinical trials, and supply chain management. The country’s robust ecosystem, particularly in cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru positions it as a global leader in the healthcare and life sciences sector. As these GCCs continue to adopt cutting-edge technologies and expand their capabilities, they will play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of global healthcare.

Inductus’ Global Capability Center (GCC)

Inductus with its state-of-the-art Global Capability Center in Delhi-NCR is poised to help global brands establish their GCC in India and harness India’s rich and diverse talent pool, cost-efficient ecosystem, advanced technology, and world-class infrastructure.